2000 Volkswagen Jetta GL from North America - Comments

The First thing to go wrong was that my rear drivers side seat was popped out of the hinge. When you tried to fold the seats down the left side of the seat would pop up. I told the service writer at my first oil change and they fixed it, no problem.

The Second thing to go wrong with the car was that after about 17,500 miles the rear break started making a screeching noise. I called the dealership and told the service writer about the noise, and he told me that 'Some Break Noise is Normal, Mam.' He was very condicending and treated me as if I knew nothing. After going around and around with him for a while I told him 'Sir, I'm sorry, I've driven this car for 17,000 miles, I think I know what the brakes are supposed to sound like. This is not normal.' When I took the car in, I took one of the Techs for a drive and they heard the noise, when they got the car into the shop they found that it had ZERO break pad left. They fixed it under warranty and have done so since.

Then the drivers side tail light went out after about 18,000 miles.

The next thing to go wrong was that the rear cup holder stopped popping out like it was supposed to.

The next issue wasn't for about 6 months. I took my car in for the 20,000 mile maintenence before leaving for a study abroad program for 6 months. 1,000 miles were put on my car by the time I got home by my parents. The break wear light came on after I'd been home for about 2 weeks. When I called the Dealerships Service Dept, they told me the 'best' they could do would be to see me the next Thursday (this was on a Monday). They couldn't tell me how much break pad was left, or weather I should drive the car at all. Which is understandable really. I took the car in a week early, because it was no good to me sitting in my driveway. I live at the top of a steep hill and cannot afford to go up and down it with bad breaks. When I took the car into be serviced (since it'd been 6 months), the dealership told me that I needed new breaks and that while the rear breaks were under warranty still, the front brakes would be $400.

I was very frustrated by the fact that there was zero warning about the brakes needing to be replaced. There wasnt any comment on the service write up, and no one said anything to me. Not even a "you know, your breaks are getting pretty worn out, you may need to replace them next time." There was zero warning about the need of new breaks, and we let that reflect in the 'satisfaction servey' that followed several days after we got the car in.

Barely a week after the brakes getting replaced, the alarm started going off randomly. It got to the point where we had to unplug the battery. I called VW and told them this, and they told me that they couldn't see me for two weeks. Again I took the car in and left it there, so that 'they could get to it when they had time.' The switch was going to cost 200 dollers to be replaced, but we fought it. The car was just barely out of warranty and had just been in there why on earth would it need this now? Its not like the trunk is used on a daily basis. The dealership paid for it, and now every one there knows our name and is very nice to us.

I received a recall notice in the mail and had that done. After getting that service done the car ran very nicely... for a week. The gas mileage was up and the pep was back in the car. It is still better than previously, but not the best.

Now, I'm about 30 miles away from 30,000 and there are all sorts of break issues. The front drivers side break disk has two grooves showing in it. The front passenger side break disk is showing a similar developing groove, and the rear breaks make a kind of grinding noise. Almost like the noise that the brakes make right after I wash the car, but a lot louder.

Overall the car is great. It handles very well, and feels super secure. I've driven other cars (from aerostars, to dorangos) and this car has the tightest feeling and quickest responsce.

When the car works, it works beautifully; However, I'm a college student and if I didn't have parents who were willing to help me out with repairs, the cost would be crippling. My family purchased this car for me because they thought it would be reliable and safe. However, while it is fairly economic in gas, and is one of the safest cars, it is not reliable. It seems every six months I have to get some major thing done to it.

I would buy a car from VW again, but I would do more careful research. I really love my Jetta, it just kills me that it's such a pain.

A useful review of your car's problems. It does make me think twice about buying a V-dub. My criticism with your review rests with the grammar and spelling. Please do proof-read your work. Mam, breaks, condicending, cylinder? Not exactly reflective of a college education. It makes me wonder who wrote the comments, and distracts from what useful information you (truly) are communicating.

I agree that the writer should have spell checked, especially after stating that they were a college student. However, I, too, was in college when I purchased my Jetta (2000) and I am now cringing at repair bills witht the same problems. It is wonderful to drive and I feel very safe and secure inside, but all the little things that break drain your pockets and should never have broken in the first place had the designers took a little more time to think about things. Did anyone actually test the materials inside??? If so, not for long enough to reflect normal wear and tear. I baby my car for the most part, but all sorts of things have broke. I love my Jetta, but it IS A PAIN TO OWN!!

Yes I agree, I had pretty much same problems too.

Jetta 2001 wolfsburg edition

1. ABS light came on (1st week after I purchased my car).

2. engine light comes one (for no reason)

3. brake pads worn down after 8 months (I always shift down)

4. trunk broke twice (first time I couldn't lock it, 2nd couldn't open it... 2nd time it was really bad since I picked up my girl friend from the airport & her stuff was stucked in my trunk for a while)

5. signel flasher stopped working.

6. rattle and squeak.

7. cup holder broke.

Drive nice, but pain pain pain to own and cost big $$$ to fix.

Think twice before you get one!

I own a 2000 Jetta- It was sitting in the shop for 6 months after getting into a bad accident. The entire drivers side was smashed in, and I needed heavy body work done. I got it back, and for some reason the fuel will cut off if I am driving at relatively high RPM's... If I drive in high gear it won't do it. I can't find a service manual, either.

To the 15 June 2007 post. Your Jetta is no good because of the accident, not because of craftmanship. Six months in the shop? What were they doing to it anyway? Restoring it from scratch?

I have to agree with the most of you. I like my Jetta, but the repair bills are starting to make me think elsewhere for a new car. Most of my problems are the same as what you guys are posting, but some similarities.

1 - My first repairs was my driver side window fell off the track on the way home from work. Luckily when I took it to my normal mechanic (he is a friend of the family) he told me that some times Dealerships will do "Silent Recalls". So luckily when I took my car in for the turn signal recall they fixed the window for free at the same time.

2 - The second problem I have had was the brakes wear down apparently really fast. I don't think I over apply my brakes too much, but apparently I do. I do also get the squeaky sound on occasion when I know I have plenty of pad left. From the above post, for the love of Buddha, do the brake work yourself, 400 dollars for just the front? I did the brake job with a buddy of mine and it was a full brake job, front/rear pads and rotors, cost just over 150 bucks, took a while, but it was hella cheaper.

3 - The O2 sensor has gone bad twice, but at least this only costs 75 bucks to fix. But still annoying to have them pop constantly. I found out this little ditty for the first time when I pulled out of my driveway one day and had the car just lose all driving power, not electrical power, but it just seemed like the cylinders just stopped and the car was at around 3k RPMs in 2nd gear and barely hitting 7MPH.

4 - The engine light comes on for no reason, luckily like I mentioned earlier since my normal mechanic is friend of the family and he has seen this problem with me before (three times) he just pops the hood, hooks it up to the computer and resets it and charges me 5 bucks.

5 - My biggest problem (1600 bucks worth) was when the water pump died on me on the highway. And by the time the little dinger went off it was over heated and I apparently had killed the thermostat, blown a head gasket (I think that is what it was), warped the same head gasket, melted the spark plug wires that sit on top of the engine, and some other stupid thing. Took me a week to get it fixed because the dealership had to "special order my thermostat".

6 - The next problem I had was my cam-location sensor died, at the same time of my O2 sensor, I still haven't got this fixed cause the car still runs, badly, but still it goes.

7 - I have received another recall for the tail lights going dead at random times. This was posted earlier, it is on recall, don't pay to get it fixed.

8 - My air conditioner started making the sound of a stick in a fan, then died. I have been told this is because of the air conditioner clutch has worn out. Doesn't sound hard to fix, except that in order to fix it they have to drain all the cooling liquid stuff, refrigerant or something, and Jetta use special stuff that you have to buy specifically from VW. Yay sounds expensive, which is why I haven't fixed that either.

Those are my major problems, I have a nice list of other random tiny things that have came up too:

1 - VW logos on the tires fell off.

2 - Turning the wheel to the far right will cause the tires to run against the plastic dirt cover. Most of this has been melted away from friction.

3 - My car 90% of the time doesn't know if my door is open or closed. This prevents the locks from locking when I use the key thing. I have to unlock all the doors before locking to get it to lock. Not fun when you work in a high crime area and you can pretty much leave your doors unlocked if you don't notice it. As a note, pay attention to the horn alert that tells you when it locks, there are actually two of them, a whoops I am not locked, and a yay I am locked (slightly more "solid")

4 - Glove compartment hinge broke.

5 - Passenger head rest button is stuck inside the head rest.

6 - The window button on rear passenger door pop "out" and is now inside the door.

7 - Two large springs have been found on the floor under my front seats that I have no idea what they do. I have full functionality from the seats still, but the springs aren't even attached.

8 - The window has a small crack in it (my fault for that one)

9 - My car has a belt slip sound when ever the car is turned on and only when the car it turned on. As well as a constant clicking noise when I accelerate in second gear or take my foot off the car while the car is moving. It also has a sound of a stick in a steel pain being rattled around at all times, like something is loose.

That is all I got. I like the car, the way it feels, the way it drives, its handling, and the seat, but holy crap is this thing getting too expensive for me. I am fixing what is on this list that hasn't been fixed and then driving it till it dies and doing nothing that costs more than a hundred bucks a month on it. If it dies I am buying a cheap jeep, cause I can at least fix most of that thing myself. As a final note, if you have any tools or access to any tools to fix your own car, BUY A CAR REPAIR MANUAL FOR YOUR JETTA, you will save soooo much money.

Maybe someone can help me with my problem. When the car is low on gas, the light goes on, and I stop, I can't get the car started again. I know it's not out of gas because of the following: if I open the air filter cover and try to start the car, it starts and runs. Has anyone had this problem before, and if so, what did you do to fix it? Thanks.